Machine to print addresses on newspapers



UNiTED STATES MILO PECK AND CHARLES PECK, OF NEW HAVEN, AND ROBERT W. WRIGHT, OF ORANGE, CONNECTICUT.

MACHINE TO PRINT ADDRESSES ON NEWSPAPERS, 80C.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l L23@ dated Januaryl2, 1854.

To LZ-Z whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MILO PEcK and CHARLES PECK, of the town of New Haven, and ROBERT WV. WRIGHT, of the town of Orange, all of the county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have invented anew and useful Machine for Directing Newspapers, Magazines, &c.; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure I is a perspective view of the ma- .chine with one-half of the shield-plate p and the cover-plate removed, so as to show the interior of the machine. A galley of names is inserted in the galley-race j, showingthe manner in which it is carried along when in operation. Fig. II is a ground plan of the machine, showing the several parts and substantially the mannerin which itis operated. Fig. III is a vertical section of the same. Fig. IV is a view of the column-galley on which the address-blocks are placed; and Fig. V is aview of the galley with the blocks, as in Fig. I, the blocks marked 2 with both edges beveled, showing those on which is the name of the town or place to which papers sent in bundles are directed. Fig. VI represents a thin sheet of metal, called a binder,77 used to di` vide the galleys into separate compartments. This binder being placed in the wooden galley a little diagonally and thenv pressed directly across the same against the blocks, the lower corners or toes of the binder will beforced into the wooden sides of th'e galley and thus kept in place. By this device the addressblocks are held in small compartments, and are much less likely to drop out of the galley in case it should be tipped up or turned over. Fig. VII represents the feed-gage,which,when used, shortens the motion of the slide h, and thus changes the feed. In the drawings the slide h is capable of moving two teeth of the ratchet at each stroke ofthe machine; but when the feed-gage b is inserted, as shown, Figs. I and II, it confines the slide to the distance of one tooth of the ratchet at a time. Fig. VIII represents a transverse section of the columngalley. Fig. IX is a representation of a de tached part of the platen-arm d and treadle g, showing the manner in which the feed-lever c and the slide h are moved back and forth by means of the cam-shaped projection n on the arm d operating on the feed-lever. 4Usually this arm d is held up by a spiral spring or weight properly attached, so that the foot of the operator is only used to bring 'the platen down on the type-block at each stroke of the machine.

rIhe knob x is made of sonie elastic material, which, when it strikes on the bed-plate in operating the machine, will deaden the blow.

The nature of our invention consists in the construction of a machine intended mainly for the use of publishers of periodicals, by which the name or address, or both, of any subscriber may be rapidly printed upon each paper or bundle in the ordinary manner from raised type or wooden type-blocks (arranged in single-column galleys) more legibly and at less expense than by any known method.

The construction and inode of operating our machine after the description'of its parts heretofore given can best be described in connection with its mode of operation.

The blocks from which the impression is given are made of wood, with the name or address raised on the top of the block in the direction of the grain ofthe wood, and with all the parts of the block surrounding the letters cut or sunk away. These blocks are beveled upon one side, so that a series of them, when placed in a column-galley, form a continuous ratchet, of which each block is aseparate tooth, and which may be fed forward at regular intervals, one or more teeth at a time, as required.

IVhen only one paper or wrapper is directed to the samelocality, this is all that is required; but when a bundle of papers is to be directed with a series of names of subscribers, and then the name of the place or post-office to which the bundle is addressed, is to be added, it is necessary that the operator should know when the list of subscribers ends and the address is to be printed.

In this case all the blocks on which are the names of the localities` or post-office addresses are also beveled on the outside. Vhen the blocks are placed in the galley, the outside edges of such blocks as have only the names of subscribers upon them form a straight surface; but when the beveled edge of a block I having upon it the name of a post-office is reached, the dog m, Figs. I and II, drops into the outer bevel of the block and causes the bell Z to ring. This dog m runs along the edge ofthe block till it drops into the bevelblock, when by the bell-wire n the hammer is struck on the bell and the necessary notice given. It will thus be seen lthat while the inside edges of the blocks form a continuous ratchet, operated upon at regular intervals, the outside edges of the blocks form an irregular ratchet, by which, by means of a bell or by any other proper device, the attention of the operator may be directed to the change from the names of subscribers to the locality or post-office address.

The column-galley so prepared is inked in the usual manner and placed in the galleyracej. It is then shoved forward till the first name or block is just under the platen and in the aperture between the two shieldplates. This aperture is just near enough (when-a single block is printed from at a time) to admit an impression from one block. In ease more than one block is used for a single impression, the shield-plates are slid far enough apart to give the required aperture.

When the galley is placed as described, it is operated upon by the machine as follows: The friction-brake t' presses upon the side of the galley, keeping it steady as it is moved forward. This friction-brake is held in place by the spring s, connected with the feed-lever c. The dog k drops into the ratchet formed by the blocks, and is held in place by the spring t, connected with the feed-lever a. The machine is now ready for work.

The newspaper to be directed is laid over the aperture between the shieldplates, when the operator, by pressing his foot on the treadle g, brings the platenq down upon the paper or wrapper, and the direction exposed is printed upon the part over the aperture between the shield-plates. As the platenarm comes down the feed-lever a is drawn back by the spring s, carrying with it the slide 7i, while the dog 7c moves over one block or tooth of the block-ratchet. Then as the arm again rises the dogcarries the galley forward one block, presenting a new name at the opening in the shield-plates, when another paper is laid under the platen. The operation is repeated, and so on till a block beveled at both edges is reached, when the dog m drops into the beveled outer edge of the block, and by ringing a bell or other proper signal the operator is notified that the postofice address of the bundle is reached and that it will be printed at the next stroke of the machine.

In directing what are known by newspaper publishers as single seals7-that is, where both name and direction are on each paperthe feed-gage b will usually be dispensed with and the column-galley carried forward two blocks at a time.

The galleys are of any proper length; but those about two feet long and capable of containing about one hundred names have been found most convenient.

When the blocks are placed in the galley, they are secured by a wedge or screw at the end, and the binders being placed at proper distancesany danger of displacement by a sudden jar or accidental upset is very nearly obviated.

We have described the manner in which the operator may be notified of the change from a name to a post-office address by means of a bell attached to the machine; but we do not claim that or any device merely for ringing the same as our invention, nor do we claim the distinct devices by which the feedslide h is operated separate from the series of blocks forming a ratchet.

What we do claim as ourinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l.- The type or address blocks with beveled edges, or the equivalent therefor, so arranged that when set up in a galley the blocks themselves constitute a ratchet by which the galley may be fed forward at regular intervals.

2. The arrangement of wooden type or address blocks in columns or galleys in such mauner that while one side of the column forms a continuous ratchet, of which each block is a tooth, as described, the other side or end of the blocks may form an irregular ratchet, operating only when a block containing a particular name or address is reached at any interval, substantially as described.

3. The binder, Fig. VI, in combination with the address-blocks and galley when used in the manner and for the purpose set forth. 4. The movable shield p, in combination with the dog lc, the type or name blocks, and the galley, or their equivalents, as herein set forth.

5. The feed-lever a a', with the platen-arn1 d, the feed-slide h, and the dog lc, in combination with the wooden type-blocks when the blocks are so arranged in galleys as to form a ratchet moving at regulated intervals, substantially as described.

MILO PECK. CHARLES PECK. R. W. WRIGHT. In presence of- C. M. SHEL'roN, LUoIUs G. PnoK. 

